My Grandfather was on the destroyer escort USS Dennis during the battle. Not much is mentioned of the Dennis, but they made torpedo runs until they ran out and laid smoke. My Grandfather was in the forward gun, which took a cruiser shell through it. The shell did not detonate and when through the ship exiting just above the water line. My grandfather received the purple heart for being wounded by that shell. The Dennis picked up most of the survivors of the USS St. Lo and years later the Dennis's crew was always invited to the St. Lo reunions.
My grandfather didn't speak of the battle until his late 70's. Once I started reading up on it, I gained a whole new respect for what he did in the Navy. That battle was truly the last great naval battle in history.
The "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" is a very good book on the battle.
